By Employers, For Employers. How to Improve Your Business by Supporting the Emotional Wellbeing of Staff

Transcription

1 By Employers, For Employers How to Improve Your Business by Supporting the Emotional Wellbeing of Staff

2 Peter Gianfrancesco & Sarah Hughes Exeter 2008

3 Happy Creative Productive Open Democratic / involvement / influence Reasonable work / life balance Sense of control & influence Change & Challenge WHY BOTHER?

4 Capacity for individual & organisational learning from mistakes, vulnerabilities and experience Capacity for tolerating uncertainty, change, volatility = flexibility & adaptability Sense of personal and organisational confidence in ability to endure difficulty and bounce back

5 Stress is necessary Problematic response to stress is not Build resilience not just support for apparent problems Promote open organisational culture Use Personal Responsibility Model Create incentives for demonstrated Resilience

6 Nature of the Individual Organizational Structure Organizational Culture The Task/Purpose of the Organization

7 Valency for stress related triggers Home Life Previous Work Experiences Ability to communicate difficulties Ability to form relationships

8 Clarity of role Communication Decision Making Terms and Conditions Policies and Procedures

9 Blame versus Enquiry Potential versus now Decision Making Value/Recognition Humour/Playfulness Safety versus exposure

10 Understanding the task of the organisation Ability to understand changing nature of inputs/outputs Reactive or Reflexive towards Change Anxiety the stakes associated with success or failure

11 WHAT CAN BE DONE? Problematic Stress Becoming aware of ambient stress and taking action (Lifestyle & Workstyle) Disrupts everyday life Erodes our resources to manage everyday stress Requires Intervention Improving skills at managing Everyday Stress Awareness stress Pressure (Learning & Resilience) We Notice it but have resources to manage If happens all the time becomes Ambient - Example? Identifying and reducing Ambient Stress impact of Problematic Stress Trigger Events The stuff that we are subject to every day but stop noticing anymore Examples? (Mental Health Planning) What about at work?

12 HUSKY: Canadian based global manufacturing company with incredible employee wellbeing investment See SEMCO: Brazilian manufacturing company led by Ricardo Semler Ultimate staff control over work Minimal workplace bureaucracy Self Set Pay MBWA

13 Company & Charity 1.2 million per annum turnover 70 staff High rates of absenteeism History of employee litigation Provider of mental wellbeing services but has NOT always been a mentally healthy place to work Turned a problem into a strength over three years at minimal cost

14 Introduced mental health as a UNIVERSAL concept - HOW? Valued personal experience or resilience and recovery from 1st day of employment - HOW? Identified expectation that we wanted staff to be mentally healthy and NOT just the absence of mental ill health - HOW? Introduced employee mentoring and positive mental health planning linked to appraisal - HOW? Created incentives for good mental health and recognition and provision for problematic stress - HOW? Used productivity gain to further support opportunities for staff = increased flexibility & control Protected the little things (like?) and invested in the bigger things (like?) that enable staff to feel valued Prioritised this ahead of traditional Employee Assistance Model Spent less than 15,000 (1% Turnover) per annum

15 55% reduction in sickness absence 75% reduction in stress related absence Improved staff satisfaction Improved staff retention Reduction in adverse H&S events More employment of people with experience of mental ill health Improved public reputation Improved outcomes for clients (output) A better place to work and learn

16 See brochure Now supplying advice, services & encouragement to many businesses National recognition Better mental health at work for all approach: not just employee assistance for when there is a problem

17 Hopeless Closed Blame Lack of Creativity No Humour Staff despair 75% on medication for depression

18 Took Risks invested money in project development creativity Gave staff more autonomy Designed clear organizational structure including values/hr Implemented supervision, mentoring, group supervision Free Counselling Worked on the Culture

19 New Business increased by 200% Staff Numbers Increased by 300% No staff currently on medication for stress/depression Staff opportunities for personal development training/management No disciplinaries/litigation for three years

20 Pace of Change Resources Unclear Recruitment HR Support Commitment/Desire

21 Work Org Consultancy, Stress Management Training/Support, Myers Briggs Personality Tools, Mentoring and Line Management Coaching/Support. Trauma Incident Reduction Onsite Counselling and group support. Both Services to be offered in Cambridgeshire from 20 th November